Costa Rica is known as a peaceful country with its natural beauties. That is the reason why many immigrants prefer to stay longer and eventually live their retirement years in the so-called Switzerland of Central America.
The average life of Costa Ricans is a perfect, if not, an excellent representation of a pleasant balance between work and personal lives.
Living in Costa Rica is a haven for most immigrants and locals alike. People enjoy the natural long beaches, lakes, streams, rivers, and waterfalls, whether it is deserted, underdeveloped, or developed.
The bushy jungles with exotic wildlife, soaring volcanoes, lengthy hiking trails, active market areas, and rural provinces are crowd-pleasers no one can resist.
Having fun while working in Costa Rica gives every expat a chance to take advantage of the countless benefits the country is offering. It includes safety and security, ideal climate, the warm welcome of the locals, low-cost of living and healthcare systems, stable democracy, and more.
Where to Settle Best in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a country with a stable and safe economy. It is easily reachable by planes from various countries. Choosing a location to settle in or retire is not an issue as Costa Rica offers a wide variety of choices from rural areas to the cities.
One of the cities of Costa Rica, which most expats and retirees move to, is in Central Valley. It has an elevation of 3,000 to 5,000 feet, which is the reason why the weather is a bit warm and cozy throughout the day.
The valley has easy access to the facilities of the primary city, San Jose. Most expats love the view of the mountains, coffee plantations, and the picturesque valley itself that surrounds the area.
You can accomplish numerous activities in the entire valley like strolling and have a peek at handicraft shops, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, bars, concert arenas, feria, and even at the markets.
The best part is to drop by at the farmers’ business centers where you can buy fresh produce, fish, meat, tea, coffee, and more. The cost of living in Central Valley is very economical. An average worth for you to fill your fridge would be USD30.00.
A Country of Spectacular Natural Environments
Known as one of the top eco-tourism travel destinations, Costa Rica boasts an abundance of spectacular natural environments. The tropical beaches, dense rainforests, magnificent volcanoes, sparkling waterfalls, serene mountains, rushing rivers, and more are the main attractions retirees and expats die to settle in Costa Rica.
These natural environments that spread between North and South America gave Costa Rica a stand as one of the bio-diverse areas in the world, accommodating more than 500,000 species of flora and fauna.
Healthy Living
With fertile soil and vast plantations, Costa Rica provides a high standard of healthy eating habits. Most expats visit the country to have a taste of stress-free life, a clean and fresh environment and take advantage of the high standard medical care system and quality.
Most tropical fruits are shipped from Costa Rica to different parts of the world. But you can enjoy the freshness and full flavor of the fruits right at Costa Rica’s plantations.
It is tastier if fruits are ripened and picked from the tree. Pineapple, mangoes, watermelon, papaya, avocadoes, passion fruit, bananas, cantaloupe, and guavas are only a few of the inexpensive and abundant fruits Costa Rica offers.
The country is also known as the world’s top fishing destinations. You will surely be impressed when you fish and cook any menu freshly from the water. A few of the finest and freshest in the world that you can try on are tuna, shrimp, mahi-mahi, lobster, red snapper, and other seafood.
Costa Rica also has potable water that spreads throughout the country. You don’t have to worry about the freshness because Costa Ricans are sensitive to cleanliness. Also, the potable water makes very visitors, expats, and locals living cheaper and simpler.
Valued Family Ties
Unlike in the other parts of America, Costa Rica values family ties together. The principal families and extended families generally live near to each other. That is why socializing, partying, vacations, and celebrations are a large family affair. The poor and rich relatives do not hesitate to help and support each other.
As a result of this family orientation, it gives Costa Ricans a higher life expectancy than a standard rate would. Costa Ricans lessens the degree of heart diseases or cancer compared to the higher percentages of other developing countries.
The house of an average Costa Rican is a one-story building constructed with wood, concrete blocks, or a combination of both. In some other lowland areas, some houses are built with cana brava (local cane) and windowless.
The daily life of most farmers and indigenous peoples is a bit harder than those in the cities. Although these families have fewer assets and low financial security, all the members in the family work hand in hand, contributing to a strong safety net.
Indigenous Arts and Crafts
One of the profitable economic activities for indigenous Costa Rican tribes is crafts making. It is not only a profitable income but also a tradition that has been passed from one generation to the other, preserving their ancestral heritage. Several crafts are created every day from mask making, utensils, and weaving.
The art of mask making gives the craftsman two choices to make, the traditional or the ecological masks. The former is a colorful hand-painted mask with designs of horns, tusks, or other animal parts that are used by the indigenous men during the traditional dance performance, El Juego de Los Diablitos. The latter mask is painted with animals like farm animals, wild cats, bird species, and more that signifies the lives of the indigenous tribes.
The utensils made by the indigenous people called jicaras are made from hardened fruits that artists carve to portray the daily lives of the villagers and local animals. Jicaras can be found across the region; however, they are mainly used by the indigenous people as kitchen utensils and cups.
Weaving is mostly done by the local women who collect the cotton from trees, dye them in different inks, and rolling them in a unique device that turns it into thread.
The process of weaving handbags, purses, and others may be lengthy, but experience indigenous women can complete the process within an hour or so.
Living the Costa Rican Pura Vida Life
Costa Rica has a slogan that every Costa Ricans live by and become a mantra every day. The good life is called “Pura Vida” or pure life. It is an impression of the simple, less poverty, high literacy, high standard, and low cost of living in this fascinatingly beautiful tropical country.
It is a concept of living your life in simplicity, relaxation, positive, and a happy approach to life. Most Costa Ricans already adapted the notion, while others find it hard to live by.
Chilling out would best describe the Pura Vida life. If you’re waiting for a delivery, for example, which happens to not arrive on time, relax and don’t get stressed while waiting for hours.
For some who are starting to practice the Pura Vida, it may seem frustrating for the first few months, but once you learned and understood the concept, you will surely realize its benefits.
Costa Ricans also use the term Pura Vida to say goodbye, or everything’s calm, or everything’s great, or to show appreciation. It may not be the true meaning of the word, but it reflects the way Costa Ricans live, thanking every moment for what they have and not concentrating on the negative.
There are more trivia and facts about Costa Rica, and the way to learn more about it is to visit and find out!